


Calm after the Storm

by Daredevilishious



Series: Child of The Desert, Son of The Force [1]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Children, Fluff, Good Parent Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Lullabies, M/M, Other, Parental Instinct, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sleepiness, Team as Family, Thunderstorms, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:48:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24709351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daredevilishious/pseuds/Daredevilishious
Summary: Warfront is something nobody should be spending their time on least of all children. But as we all know life is a bitch and we have to deal with it. And if that means comforting said children or rather child in this case so be it. Might as well get married and adopt her for a good measure.Or:Anakin comforts his Padawan during the storm and he and Rex adopt her immediately after that.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Child of The Desert, Son of The Force [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834600
Comments: 24
Kudos: 186





	Calm after the Storm

_BOOM-CRACK!_

Ahsoka woke with a startled yet silent scream when she heard a loud thundering noise crack just above her head. She looked around frantically trying to pinpoint her location but the loud echoes of the sound were still ringing in her montrals and there was another really loud and annoying pitter-patter sound that was making it even harder to focus. She just closed her eyes shut tightly and tried to soothe the ringing in her head caused by whatever this noise was. Her wardriven brain was already ringing all the alarm bells and red flags were flaring because there was definitely an attack happening and she should be out there helping and fighting but she couldn’t she was weak and scared and she couldn’t move because she was weak she was useless she was scared oh Force what will Master Skywalker think-

_Skyguy!_

Her head suddenly snapped up looking around once more to inspect her surroundings and she let out the silent little breath she was holding when her eyes landed on a lump of blankets and limbs that was sound asleep on the mat opposite of her. Ahsoka sighed in relief but it did very little to soothe her racing heartbeat. Skyguy, her master and closest thing she had to a family was still here, still asleep and not outside doing some crazy ass plans to save their men which meant there was no attack happening and Ahsoka sighed in relief once again. She closed her eyes and let her fear dissolve into the Force...not that it helped much these days. Even Skyguy and Obi-Wan noticed it and neither were too happy about it. It made her master much more tense and worried and that meant he got even crazier with his battle plans that included way too many self sacrificing for her, Rex and any other 501st trooper’s taste.

At that thought she smiled faintly and looked back over where her master was sleeping, safely tucked under Rex’s strong arm. She was honest to Force happy for her master to have somebody to count on to be there for him in these heavy times. To kriff with the Code and its kriffing no attachment rule but after all the banhtacrap they all went through they at least deserved to be happy. She only wished that Barriss was there with her. Oh Barriss-

So lost in her thought she wasn’t prepared for another skull wrenching thunder to crack over their tent and it sent her into tears from the pain it caused to her oversensitive montrals. She hid under her blanket and wrapped it tightly around her head to try to make it stop but it did close to nothing. So she just stayed like this buried under covers and crying like a kriffing child. What would Skyguy think if he saw her like this? Likely be disgusted at her for being so weak and rejected her as his Padawan or-

“...Snips?”

Her master’s voice was so quiet in all the maelstrom of noises going on around her that she was sure if she wasn’t Force sensitive enough she’d miss it completely.

Ahsoka quickly uncovered her head and sat up and looked at her master who shifted from his position on his side where he was cuddling close to Rex’s chest to his other side to look at his Padawan with sleepy but fully awake eyes that in the dimness of the tent literally glowed a tiny bit like those glow-in-the-dark wall stickers.

“H-hey Skyguy…” she tried to sound casual and she hated how fear and tearstained her voice sounded.

She could practically fell him frown.

“What’s wrong Ahsoka?” his voice was barely above the whisper but even so the thick layer of worry was evident in it.

Said togruta sighed and let her shoulders fall. “I-I woke up… couldn’t fall back to sleep” she was well aware of how her voice trembled and quivered from fear but there was no hiding it once Anakin caught the wind of it.

As if on cue another thunder roared above them and Ahsoka couldn’t help it this time and let out the slightest yet heartwrenching little scream as she buried her head in her knees and desperately held her montrals but to no avail. Distantly she could feel her master’s own fears projecting through the training bond but at the moment she couldn’t bring herself to care too much _just make it stop_.

Eventually the ringing in her head died down enough for her to think clearly and she was distantly aware of the tears running down her cheeks and of her master’s presence but at this moment she really couldn’t do anything about it. Then there was shifting heard and opened her eyes to see her master carefully wriggle himself out from under Rex’s arm to which the Captain merely grunted unhapilly but did not wake. Anakin made a quick journey from his shared mat to Ahsoka’s and sat there with her quietly for a moment.

“D-did I… Did I wake you?” Ahsoka asked quietly after a while, no longer caring of her image.

“No not really” Anakin replied with a whisper. “I wasn’t asleep in the first place”

Ahsoka looked up at him. “But why? Is it the Force?”

The older Jedi huffed “In a way yes. I never sleep well during the storms” which in Anakin meant ‘I never sleep during storms’. Then he chuckled quietly “Funny tho, I am the personification of a storm. Or so I’ve been told”

Ahsoka smiled slightly at this. It was true tho. Trust her master to come sweeping through and leave chaos in his wake. She sometimes considered making an apology offering for her Grandmaster, Obi-Wan for dealing with her Master’s and occasionally her antics.

“You were projecting your feelings” her master cut the silence once more.

 _Oh kriff_ \- “I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to I’m s-” Ahsoka was quick to apologize as quietly and urgently she could without waking up the still sleeping Captain while composing her shielding and trying to calm down.

“Hey, hey Ahsoka calm down it’s alright, it’s okay” Anakin was quick to put a grounding hand on her shoulder and sent calming emotions through the bond. Once she was calmed down enough Anakin pulled back and waited for her to speak up.

“I-I’m sorry Master…” Ahsoka said quietly not looking at him in the eye.

Anakin frowned in confusion and concern. “You have nothing to apologize for Snips. No harm done, I was awake anyway so”

“But I’m weak… I got scared because of a stupid storm!” she whisper yelled in frustration. “J-Jedi shouldn’t be a-afraid… Jedi are s-supposed to be s-s-strong….” she let out a choked sob out at the last word. “And I-I… I’m not….”

Anakin’s heart was breaking at the sight of his young Padawan breaking down like this. It wasn’t fair! She shouldn’t be here, in this Force forsaken war, growing up way too fast, having to witness first hand the harsh reality of life and death. She shouldn’t be afraid for her dear life, looking over her shoulder every single step she makes and having to bear the responsibility of thousands of deaths upon her young shoulders. She should be out experiencing her life free from the worries of war, making friends and never know the life on a battlefront. Anakin himself sometimes just wanted to crush her in a hug and shield her from the cruelty and bitterness of the truth about life.

“Hey Ahsoka no” he scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her instinctively and pressed her close to himself, letting her bury her face in his shoulder as she cried her young heart out. He kept sending her love and support through their bond, letting her know it’s okay to just let it out and rubbing soothing circles on her quivering back. She kept mumbling nonsense into his shoulder and he let her, he knew what was said regardless.

They spent several minutes like this, perhaps even hours and yet neither of them cared. Rex woke up once and was alarmed to find Anakin gone from his side but he quickly relaxed once he noticed him on Ahsoka’s mat. He was quick to get up to comfort the young Commander but the very slight shake of Anakin’s head and the pleading vulnerable look in his eyes convinced him albeit reluctantly to stay put but he did not let either of them from his sight even as he closed his eyes but sleep did not come back to him.

“ _You okay_?” he asked softly through their training bond.

“ _Y-yeah I’m okay_ …” she responded and sniffed “I really am pathetic… crying over a storm like this…” ‘I understand if you no longer want me’ went unsaid but it was there

Anakin felt Rex was trying his goddamn best not to just get up and drown her in hugs and he was in awe at his ability to resist instincts as he himself would be unable.

“It’s okay Ahsoka” he comforted her “It’s okay to be afraid. It’s okay”

She sniffed “B-but Jedi-”

“Yes Jedi should _control_ their feelings. _Not ignore_ or _pretend_ they don’t exist…” he explained gently.

Ahsoka just mumbled something in return.

Anakin sighed tiredly. “You know this is just a bag of Banthacrap. ‘Hero without Fear’?” he shuddered at that. “Don’t make me laugh…” he laughed quietly and without humor. “I guess I’m just really good at hiding it. On Tatooine showing fear could get you a fate worse than death. Then again showing strength and courage could get you into something similar so…” he trailed off his little ramble and he was really questioning how Rex was able to resist his urges.

Ahsoka was quiet in his arms, still shaking and with tears running down her cheeks, dampening the spot on his shoulder. “S-sorry-”

“It’s okay I don’t mind” he smiled and shifted her to look into her eyes. “Tell you what. How about I stay here with you for the rest of the night and we both try to get some sleep?”

Ahsoka looked around in silence and then looked back at her master. “Y-you’d do that?” she asked quietly Anakin smiled and ran a hand over her forehead and down her cheek lightly. “Of course I would. Kriff the Code right?” he chuckled

Ahsoka managed a genuine smile even if it didn’t reach her eyes. “Kriff the Code” she agreed. Then she became shy again. “O-okay… If you don’t mind…”

“Of course I don’t mind. Come here” he shifted slightly and rearranged the pillows so he was in a comfortable half sitting position and opened his arms to her ”Cuddle close, scooch in” He smiled at the memory of his mom saying the exact same words to him during a particularly bad nightmare or sandstorm. Or anytime he needed comforting really.

Ahsoka giggled a little and indeed came closer, lying her head over Anakin’s warm chest, directly over his heartbeat that was slightly speed up but it was calming down just like she was. she practically glued herself to his side and didn’t mind the familiar strong arm sneaking around her trembling shoulders and the other gently stroking her montral and lekku while he was resting his chin atop her head.

And it was just them and their warmth and comfort and the steady and now calm beating of his heart made Ahsoka feel sleepy. But she couldn’t sleep yet. Partly because of her fears and partly because there was a new weight being pressed against her other side and suddenly a strong, muscular and warm, gentle arm was draped over her and Anakin’s waist. She could feel being pressed against same muscular and warm chest and how Anakin moved slightly so he could rest his head on Rex’s shoulder and draped his knees over soldier’s thighs, creating a protective nest and shield of love and warmth around her and Ahsoka couldn’t be more happier than to be exactly where she is right now.

“Can you sing…?” she asked sleepily. “Please?”

Anakin looked puzzled for a second, not knowing what to say. He haven’t sung in years, not ever since he and Padme broke up over three years ago. But a slight tug in the Force and the gentle nudge with a nose and a smile from his beloved captain and he melted.

“Okay” he smiled. He took a deep breath and let it out. “My mother used to sing this song to me when I was little…” he said with fondness but sadness too. He took another breath and closed his eyes. Then he started to sing

“ _Al na tivke, heyradem bimnucha_

_Hakshev le ivshat hagalim_

_Otcha madrima beshir eres imsa_

_Itcha eheye le olamim…_ ”

Ahsoka smiled faintly as his voice and gentle stroking of her montrals soothed the last remains of stress from the war and storm outside leaving her mind. To her surprise he continued.

“ _Hush now my baby, be still love, don’t cry_

_Sleep as you’re rocked by the stream_

_Sleep and remember my last lullaby_

_And I’ll be with you when you dream_ ”

She relaxed completely and let herself bask in the warmth of the two most trusted people in the world and not soon after she felt the now slightly unfamiliar but still familiar tug of sleep pulling her into its embrace… or was that her parents...wait what…

“ _Drift on a river that flows through my arms_

_Drift as I’m singing to you_

_I see you smiling so peaceful and calm_

_And holding you I’m smiling too_

_Here in my arms_

_Safe from all harm_

_And holding you, I’m smiling too_ ”

Ahsoka smiled one final time before closing her eyes and letting go. She was still distantly aware of Rex pulling blankets over them all and Anakin’s gentle humming the melody of his lullaby and it made her feel most loved she ever had been.

“... _And holding you, I’m smiling too_ …”

There was a light kiss on her forehead and then only softness and warmth and darkness. Guess there is a calm after storm after all.

**Author's Note:**

> *lands on my feet and raises slowly*  
> Hello there!
> 
> Okay listen. This is my first fic to the Star Wars franchise (and one that I actually like thank you very much) and I know it's most likely really stinkingly cheesy and childlish blah blah blah yes I know. And I'm aware they are a bit OOC but hey it works so. Look I was in a mood to write about Ani being a good dad to Ashoka and bringing his parental side out so that's exactly what I did. And I like it. Case closed. 
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcome, fire is going to be used to shun The Empire and burn Darth Sidious, kudos will remain in Hall of Fame for ever. I own nothing but the idea and goodnight. 
> 
> Ps: Fanart is always welcome 
> 
> Song: River lullaby - Prince of Egypt Musical/Hebrew


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